Shotgun.



WiTnesses:

0. E. MICHAUD.

SHOTGUN.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR.15, 1909.

- Patented July 13, 1909.

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ONESIME E. MICHAUD, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SHOTGUN.

Application filed March 15, 1909. Serial No. 483,487.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ONnsIME E. MIOHAUD, a cltizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of St. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shotguns, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to shotguns and more particularly to double-barreled guns.

It has for its principal objects to facilitate the attachment of a removable extension or choke muzzle section, to secure rigidity of attachment, and to prevent accidental displacement. f

The invention consists in the parts and in the arrangements and combinations of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In. the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification and wherein like symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur, Figure 1 is a top plan of the forward.

, tion and pa rtly'in section on the line 33 of Fig. 1; and, Fig. 4 is an elevation of the inner end of the removable muzzlevsection lnary type. Close to the muzzle, the top of the midrib 1' between the barrels 2 is provided with two oppositely disposed notches 3, thereby forming a T-shaped attaching portion 4:. Any ordinary sight 5 may be secured at the usual place on the top of the midrib.

Theremovable muzzle section is a short member comprising a midrib 6 and two barrels 7 These sections may be made in interchangeable sets of various lengths or choke bored to suit all purposes. The rear end of this muzzle member is finished to form a butt-joint with the end of the gun barrels, so that its bores are continuous with those of the gun barrels. A small flange 8 extends around the greater portion of the rear end of the removable member, and said flange decreases graduallv in depth toward the bottom portions of the barrels where it disappears altogether near each side of the midrib 6. At the top of the member on each side of the midrib are two rearward exten- Specification of Letters Patent.

rower slotted portion.

Patented July 13, 1909.

end portions 10 which are made to fit the notches 3 in the midrib l of the gun proper, the rectangular space between said extensions being a counterpart of the T-shaped attaching portion 4 at the forward end of said midrib 1.

An elongated locking member 11 having a vertical longitudinal slot therein is fitted over a lug 12 on the bottom of the midrib 6. The forward end portion of the longitudinal slot in said locking member 11' is reduced in width; and the sides and front end of said lug 12 are undercut or notched at the base thereof so as to receive said nar- To secure the locking member 11 in place the forward end portion thereof is perforated to receive a screw 13 which is fitted in a threaded hole in the midrib 6. This locking member is a strong spring which lies normally in contact flatwise with the bottom of the midrib. It

has a lug or stud 14 on its free end portion with the end of its short member 18 in an 7 undercut or notch in the forward end of a lug 19 on the bottom'of the midrib 6 at the rear end thereof. This lug l9 fits into the rear end portion of the slot in said spring locking member. the lever 17 is of such length that, when the muzzle member is locked on the gun proper the turning of the lever perpendicularly to the midrib will lift the rear end of the looking member 11 with its stud or projection 14 clear of the midrib 1 of the gun. The long arm of the lever 17 is of such length that, when it is folded into the slot in the member 11, it reaches nearly to the lug 12 on the bottom of the midrib 6. Pivotally mounted on the outer face of the lever 17 near its outer end is a latch member 20 which is adapted to engage with the lug 12 to hold the lever in closed position. Preferably, the long arm of the lever 17 is a very strong spring and its end portion may be tapered or bent slightly outward, or, the

The short end portion of v sions 9 having oppositely disposed inturned l of the lever to bepressed inwardly to allow 4 the end of the latch member 20 to be moved under a projection or engaging portion 21 which may be formed by notching the rear end of the lug 12 as shown. To prevent the latch member from being accidentally dis engaged from the projection 21, the sides of said portion are preferably tapered or slightly pointed so as to fit in a depression or groove 22 in the outer face of the latch member.

Obviously, instead of providing a lug, or stud 14 on the spring locking member 11 which is adapted to fit in a counterpart hole in the bottom of the midrib 1', the arrange ment may be reversed; that is, the stud may be provided onthe midrib andthe-hole in the locking member, or the slot in said'locking member may be extended farther toward the rear so as to fitover the stud.

The operation of, mounting the muzzle section is as follows: Assuming that the gun is in a horizontalposition, the rear end of the muzzle section is inclined" downwardly and its projections 9 are placed with their inturned ends 10 in the notches 3' in thetop of'the midrib 1. The cam lever 17" is turned up perpendicular to the midrib 6 of the muzzle section to raise the free end of the spring locking member 11, and, the muzzle section is tilt-ed down until it fits squarely against the end of' the gun; the gradiial reduction in the depth of the circular flanged portions 8 permitting of this fitting movement. Then the cam lever 17 is depressed so that the spring locking member 11 lies flush against the bottom surfaces of' the midribs of the gun proper and the muzzle section with its stud 14 m the hole pro.-

vided therefor in the bottom ofthe midrib 1. In. the closed position of the lever, its short arm and portion of'the longarm adj acent to the pivot also rest fiush against the bottom ofthe midrib of the muzzle section and the end of the short arm fits tightly in: the notch or undercut in the lug 19. hen. the parts are in proper position the end portion of the lever 17 is depressed so that the pivoted latch member 20 may be moved] under the projection 21. then the lever is relieved of' the pressure thereon, the resiliency of'the lever holds the latch member 20 with its notched. portion 22 in engagement with said projection 21. In order to detach the inuzzlesectiomrit is merely neces sary to raise the cam lever, thereby disengaging the spring locking member, and then tilt or swing the muzzle section upwardly todisengage the upper portion thereofl It is noted that while the flanged? or hell portion 8 is gradually diminished toward; the bottom to facilitate the attachment of the muzzle section to the gun, there is a+ suilicient overlapping portion to give stability to the attachment. It is also noted" that the appearance of the gun is not marred by the use of my. attachment, that the attachment does not interfere with the use of the-ordinary sight on the gun; and that owing to the absence of movable projecting portions there is little liability of accidentally openingthe locking device.

Obviously, my device admits of considerable modification without departing from my invention, and, therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the specific construction shown and described.

lVhat I claim is:

1.,A double-barreled shotgun having attaching portions at the forward end of its midrib on the top and bottom thereof, a removable muzzlesection having bores arranged to constitute a continuation of the bores of the gun proper, said removable muzzle section also (JOHIPI'lSlIlg a midrib, a counterpart attaching portion on said muzzle section adapted to interlock with the attaching portion on the top of the midrib of the gun proper, and a locking device on the bottom of the midrib of the removable muzzle section comprisingtwo lugs on said midrib, a slotted locking member secured at its end to the forward portion of said midrib and adapted to lie flatwise against said midrib, a counterpart attaching portion on said slotted locking member adapted to interlock with the attaching portion on the bottom of the midrib of the gun proper, a cam lever mounted on said slotted locking member and arranged to bear against the midrib of the removable muzzle section and adapted to move the rear end ofsaid locking member transversely, the short arm of said lever being arranged to engage one of the lugs onthe bottom of the midrib of the removable muzzle section when said lever is lowered, and a latch member on the: end of the long arm of said lever arranged to engage the opposite lug on the bottom of said last mentioned midrib.

2. A double-barreled shotgunhaving attaching portions at the forward end of its midrib on the top and bottom thereof, aremovable muzzle section having bores arranged to constitute a continuation of the bores of the gun proper, said removable muzzle section also comprising a midrib, counterpart flanged portions arranged'to overlap the end portion of the gun proper, said flange diminishing towardthe bottom ofsaid muzzle section, a counterpart attaching portion on said muzzle section adapted to interlock with the attaching portion on the top of the midrib of the gun proper, and a locking device on the bottomiof the midrib of the removable muzzle section comprising two lugs on said midrib, a slotted locking member secured at its end to the forward portion of'said midrib and adapted to lie flat-wise against said midrib, a counterpart attaching portion on said slotted locking member adapted to interlock with the attaching portion on the bottom of the midrib of the gun proper, a cam lever mounted on said slotted -locking member and arranged to bear against the midrib of the removable muzzle section and adapted to move the rear end of said locking member transversely, the short arm of said lever being arranged to engage one of the lugs on the bottom of the midrib of the removable muzzle section when said lever is lowered, and a latch member on the end of the long arm of said lever arranged to engage the opposite lug on the bottom of said last mentioned midrib.

3. A double-barreled shotgun having attaching portions at the forward end of its midrib on the top and bottom thereof, a re movable muzzle section having bores arranged to constitute a continuation of the bores of the gun proper, said removable muzzle section also comprising a midrib, a counterpart attaching portion on said muzzle section adapted to interlock with the j attaching portion on the top of the midrib of the gun proper, and a locking device on the bottom of the midrib of the removable muzzle section, comprising a lug on the bottom of said midrib near the forward end 7 thereof, the sides and front end of said lug slotted spring locking member secured at its end to the forward portion of said midrib, the forward end portion of said longitudinal slot being reduced in width and adapted to fit the undercut portions of said first mentioned lug on said midrib, said spring looking member being adapted to lie normally fiatwise against the bottom of said midrib a counterpart attaching portion on the free end of said spring locking member adapted to interlock with the attaching portion on the bottom of the midrib of the gun proper, a cam lever mounted on said spring locking member and arranged to bear against the midrib of the removable muzzle section and adapted to move the rear end of said spring locking member transversely, the short arm of said lever being arranged to engage the undercut portion of the lug on the rear end portion of the midrib of said removable muzzle section when said lever is lowered, and a latch member pivoted on the end portion of the long arm of said lever and arranged to engage under a projection on the lug on the forward end portion of the midrib on said removable muzzle section.

In witness whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses this 13th day of March, 1909, at St. Louis, Missouri.

ONESIME E. MICHA D.

Witnesses: I

G. A. PENNINGTON, J. B. MEGOWN. 

